Two people attacked by sharks in Australia

Two people were bitten by sharks on Monday while surfing off the same stretch of Western Australias southwest coast.

A 37-year-old man was bitten on the leg at Cobblestones beach in Gracetown, near the Margaret River Pro surfing tournament, on early Monday morning but managed to surf back to shore, reports the Guardian.

His friends used a rope from the victim's board as a tourniquet and provided first aid until emergency crews arrived.

The victim was flown to Royal Perth hospital where he remains in a stable condition and will have surgery, authorities said.

A second man Jason Longrass, 41, was bitten while surfing off Lefthanders beach in the afternoon.

Longrass told reporters that he had not heard about the first attack and did not know the beach was closed, saying he thought he was lucky to find it so empty.

The Margaret River Pro, about 15 km away from the first attack but also close to the second, was suspended for about one hour before resuming with enhanced safety measures including skis and drones, the Guardian reported.

There have been three fatal shark attacks in the area since 2004, when Bradley Smith was fatally mauled by a great white.

Chris Boyd, 35, was killed at nearby Umbies surf break in 2013 and Nick Edwards, 31, also died after a shark attack while surfing at nearby South Point in 2010. All three were surfers.

--IANS

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